Sengottaiyan maligning MGR, Jaya govts: EPS

COIMBATORE: In a show of strength from the expelled AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan's home turf, Gobichettipalayam in Erode, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami called the former minister a ‘traitor’ who doesn’t deserve to continue in the party, addressing a large gathering.

He hit out at Sengottaiyan over his call for forming a clean government under Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president actor Vijay. "Does that mean that the AIADMK governments under the Chief Ministership of MGR, Jayalalithaa and me, with the same Sengottaiyan as a minister in the Cabinet, didn't provide a clean government?” he asked, while addressing a massive gathering.

Exuding confidence that the AIADMK-led alliance will form a government with a simple majority, the Leader of the Opposition said the party will celebrate its victory event in Gobichettipalayam, in a bid to rebuke claims that Erode is a firm ground for Sengottaiyan. “He (Sengottaiyan) met people for votes during polls, but did he seek the opinion of you all while stepping down as an MLA? I assure that Gobichettipalayam will be developed far better than Edappadi,” Palaniswami said, referring to his home town in Salem.

Recalling Sengottaiyan's act of boycotting a function organised by farmers to felicitate him for implementing the Athikadavu-Avinashi scheme, citing the absence of pictures of former Chief Ministers MGR and Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK leader questioned his decision to now join TVK by betraying the AIADMK, which gave him an identity.

Palaniswami listed out what he called anti-party activities of Sengottaiyan, such as meeting those expelled from AIADMK, setting a deadline to the party’s leadership (over unification), and participating in DMK’s cycle distribution function. The AIADMK chief defended his move to remove him from the party's basic membership. “It wasn't a sudden decision. For the last three or four years, he has been working against the party's interests. He doesn’t deserve to continue in the party,” he said.

Attacking Chief Minister MK Stalin for doing nothing for farmers' welfare, Palaniswami questioned the DMK president for not visiting the Delta region affected by the cyclone. “What do you know about farming? Let both of us share a dias, and whoever identifies the crop varieties can be recognised as a farmer,” he issued a challenge.

Hitting out at DMK over a range of issues, including corruption, deteriorating law and order, and increasing incidents of sexual assaults, Palaniswami said most of the ministers will be in jail for corruption at the time of polls.

“The AIADMK will investigate all corruption charges against the DMK after forming the government,” he said.